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Are People Who Buy Plants Happy People?

Ideas for the subject of the next post in Shirl and You crop up in the most unusual

The beautiful sights and smells at a nursery.

places, like a nursery. While purchasing plants for my flower garden I asked the clerk how her day was going. She looked up from the register and said she liked working there because: “People who buy plants are happy people.” That was it! That would be the next subject for Shirl and You. Is she right, do buying plants result in people being happy? This would take some research, but I was on my way and presented here is what I found out about the subject.

Let’s start with myself. I look forward to going into my flower garden every morning and I recall my daughter-in-law saying she does, also. “I take my cup of coffee with me and sit

The rewards of flower gardening.

among my flowers before leaving for work,” she said. Is it just a coincidence that we both find something special about being near plants?

I checked on the internet and this is what I found. Studies show that plants make you feel more calm, more optimistic and contribute to your overall well being. Could that be why I am seldom sick and why I love the color green? (First its red, then green.) 🙂 Let’s look into the subject further.

A Chicago cardiologist says that hospital patients facing a garden in their rooms often recover more quickly than those facing a wall. Another study suggests that sprouting a green thumb is not only a gratifying and affordable way to feel good, it can foster successful aging.

Even houseplants can work this way. Eighteen assisted living residents were recently invited to join a class to learn about indoor gardening. Following the course, they were each given a plant to care for. Positive effects were seen because the participants experienced the responsibility of taking care of something. Some of the senior citizens involved said it had been a long time since they had to take care of anything, other than themselves. Studies have linked houseplants to the reduction of stress and indoor air pollution.

Getting back to our happy clerk at a local nursery. A survey of workers suggests almost nine in

Florists like their jobs.

ten florists and gardeners say they are happy in their jobs. Eighty-two percent agreed that being able to use and hone their skills every day helped to boost their job satisfaction. Those largely desk-based, well paid, high-pressure jobs do not appear to provide workers with fulfillment, the survey said. Those ranking lowest on the happiness index were bankers, with just 44 percent reporting they were happy.

If you have no space for an outdoor garden, get an indoor plant or two and learn how to

Easy to take care for plants.

take care of them. Perhaps bankers would become more satisfied with their work if a plant or two rested on their desks. Granted taking care of them, especially a whole garden full, can be overwhelming at times. But a good way to look at this is, we may not be able to change many of the problems in our lives, but we can learn to take care of plants.

God is responsible for the flowers that bring us so much joy. Obviously He knew they would be a delight to us and made them for our pleasure. To Him goes the glory. Psalm 104:24 says: ” O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all, the earth is full of your creatures.”

I decided to take my camera with me and take photos of people buying plants. Take just one look at their faces, then you tell me, are people who buy plants happy people?

Below each photo is a quotation about plants. A favorite of mine is “The garden is the mirror of the heart.” My heart sings joyfully at the sight of a beautiful garden. How does gardening affect you? I hope you’ll write to me.

My heart sings for joy at such a sight.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”–Abraham Lincoln

Earth laughs in flower.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A garden is a friend you can visit any time.”

“She (or he) who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see a plant, believes in God.”

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” –Greek proverb.

“Friends are flowers in life’s garden.”

“Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God.”–Thomas Jefferson

“To dig one’s spade into one’s own earth! Has life anything better to offer than this?” –Beverley Nichols

“I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden.” –John Erskine

11 thoughts on “Are People Who Buy Plants Happy People?”

People can’t help but feel happy when they are working the earth…being close to nature…close to God. Our sense of smell is satisfied as well as our sight. I love the smell of the earth…the cool feel and knowing something beautiful has come from my labors is a great pay off. Your positive attitude is what keeps you healthy. My health has improved greatly as I continue to treat my body well…nourishing my body with my home grown produce. Nothing like vine to table. My favorite saying under the pics is…”Friends are flowers in life’s garden”. Ruth Moase looks great…looks like your sale was a success.

I like how you chose a favorite saying under the photos featured in ShirlandYou. And, you named one of the people correctly. You are right about feeling close to God when working in his creation. I always appreciate your comments, Karen.

This was an uplifting blog. I’m smiling from looking at your smiling plant buyers. Well done!

I usually get joy from planting. Must be all the farmers in my ancestry. But one plant I’m sorry I every planted was a sweet gum tree. In my 30s I was taken in by their beautiful fall colors so I planted a little 3 foot tree. Now it is 40 years old and 40 feet tall. It is beautiful for a month in the fall but I hate its rotten little spiky balls that litter our yard. I pay dearly in sweat equity for that fleeting beauty. One day while raking the balls I thought, “Friends don’t let friends plant sweet gums.”

Thanks for the warning, Wade. I looked up the red gum tree and saw one pictured that is 700 years old, and learned that it will grow to be 168 feet tall. The only consolation, I saw was a table made from the tree. It was beautiful and would make good memories of this work-producing intruder in your yard. What do you think?